Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:-12,7-8, 10-13 Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 An “epiphany” is an appearance. In today's readings, with their rising stars, splendorous lights and mysteries revealed, the face of the child born on Christmas day appears. Herod, in today's Gospel, asks the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah is to be born. The

Isaiah 52:7–10 Psalms 98:1–6 Hebrews 1:1–6 John 1:1–18 The Church’s liturgy rings in Christmas with a joyful noise. We hear today of uplifted voices, trumpets and horns, and melodies of praise. In the First Reading, Isaiah fortells Israel’s liberation from captivity and exile in Babylon. He envisions a triumphant homecoming to Zion marked

Readings: Sirach 3:2-6,12-14 Psalm 128:1-5 Colossians 3:12-21 Luke 2:41-52 Why did Jesus choose to become a baby born of a mother and father and to spend all but His last years living in an ordinary human family? In part, to reveal God's plan to make all people live as one “holy family” in His Church

The Church in her liturgy and tradition has long praised Mary as “the Ark of the New Covenant.” We see biblical roots for this in the readings for the Fourth Sunday in Advent (Cycle C). Compare Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth with the story of David returning the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem and you’ll

Readings: Micah 5:1-4 Psalm 80:2-3,15-16,18-19 Hebrews 5:5-10 Luke 1:39-45 (see also “The ‘New Ark’”) On this last Sunday before Christmas, the Church's Liturgy reveals the true identity of our Redeemer: He is, as today's First Reading says, the “ruler…whose origin is from…ancient times.” He will come from Bethlehem, where David was born of Jesse the

Readings: Zephaniah 3:14-18 Isaiah 12:2-6 Philippians 4:4-7 Luke 3:10-18 The people in today's Gospel are “filled with expectation.” They believe John the Baptist might be the Messiah they've been waiting for. Three times we hear their question: “What then should we do?” The Messiah's coming requires every man and woman to choose – to “repent”